WEBVTT SOLEDAD: IOWA IS NOT ALONE INASKING CONGRESS TO FIX THEAFFORDABLE CARE ACT.THERE IS A BILL, THE BIPARTISANHEALTH CARE STABILIZATION ACT,THAT SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEECHAIR LAMAR ALEXANDER, AREPUBLICAN, AND RANKING MEMBERPATTY MURRAY, A DEMOCRAT,SAY THEY HAVE ENOUGH VOTES TOPASS -- A BILL THAT WILL SHOREUP THE EXCHANGES.SO WHAT'S HOLDING THAT UP?FORMER DELAWARE GOVERNOR TOMCARPER IS THE STATE'S SENIORSENATOR.NICE TO HAVE YOU BACK.SETHANK YOU.SOLEDAD: SO, THERENUMBERS OF REPUBLICANS ANDDEMOCRATS WHO SUPPORT THIS BILL,AND MITCH MCCONNELL HAS SAID HEIS NOT GOING TO BRING THE BILLTO THE FLOOR FOR THE VOTE UNLEHE GETS A GUARANTEE IN ADVANCETHAT THE PRESIDENT WOULD SIGNIT, WHICH -- I'M NOT A FORMERGOVERNOR NOW A SENATOR, BUIT SOUNDS KIND OF BACKWARDS TOME.SEN. CARPER: I THINK LAMARALEXANDER AND PATTY HAVE DONE AGREAT JOB PUTTING TOGETHER AVERY THOUGHTFUL COMPROMISE HERE.MY HOPE IS THAT THE MAJORITYLEADER, MITCH MCCONNELL, WILLSAY, "HEY, WE GOT TO REWARDTHESE LEGISLATORS WHO ARE DOINGWHAT THE PEOPLE WANT US TO DO,WORK TOGETHER, COME UP WITH GOODIDEAS."AND HOPEFULLY THE PRESIDENT WILLSAY, IN HIS WISDOM, "THIS IS ATHOUGHTFUL PACKAGE -- LET'S DOTHAT."ONE OF THE BEAUTIES TLAMAR AND PATTY DID IS THAT THEYSCHEDULED, RIGHT AFTER THEAUGUST RECESS IN SEPTEMBER, FOURBIPARTISAN HEARINGS --SUCCESSIVE, FOUR IN TWO WEEKS.THEY HAD GOVERNORS, WE HADINSURANCE COMMISSIONERS LIKE THEFELLOW COMING IN FROM IOWA, WEHAD HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS,HEALTH INSURANCE.I MEAN, IT WAS GREAT.EVERY DAY BEFORE THEY HADHEARING -- BIPARTISAN HEARING ONTHE HEALTH COMMITTEE AT 10:00 AT 8:30, THOSE OF US WHO WERENOT ON THE COMMITTEE HAD THEOPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THEWITNESSES AND HAVE GOODCONVERSATIONS.I WENT TO ALL OF THEM, AND I'MNOT ON THE COMMITTEE.I WENT TO ALL OF THEM.I LEARNED A LOT, AND ONE OF THETHINGS I LEARNED IS, IF WE DTHIS, IF WE STABILIZE THEEXCHANGES, IT IS A BIGCONFIDENCE BUILDER FOR DEMOCRATSAND REPUBLICANS THAT WE CAN DOTHIS.WE CAN DO OTHER THINGS AS WELL.AND IF THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHODON'T LIKE THE INDIVIDUALMANDATE, THEN LET'S HAVE AHEARING THAT JUST SAYS, WHAT ATHE OTHER OPTIONS?WHAT IS WOOTHER COUNTRIES?AND LET'S LEARN FROM THEM.SOLEDAD: DO WE NEED TO RETHINKTHE ENTIRE WAY HOSPITALS ARE SETUP?BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, IF YOU AREGETTING PAID A FEE FOR SERVICEYOU ARE INCENTIVIZED TO DO ALLOF THOSE THINGS.SEN. CARPER: THE UNDERCURRENTBEHIND THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT,AS YOU KNOW, AS YOU ARESUGGESTING IT -- FOR YEARS, WEHAVE SPENT MONEY WHEN PEOPLE GETSICK.IT IS SICK CARE.WHAT WE NEED TO DO, AND WHAT THEAFFFORDABLE CARE ACT TRIES TO DO-- WHY DON'T WE SPEND MORE MOYTO KEEP PEOPLE HEALTHY IN THEFIRST PLACE, AND INCENTIVIZETHEM TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES?SOLEDAD: AND INCENTIVIZE THEHOSPITALS TO MAKE PEOPLE WELLAND -- AND WANT THEM TO BE WELLAND OUT OF THE HOSPITAL.SEN. CARPER: AND WHAT -- THE WAYTHE LAW IS SET UP, IF DOCTORGROUPS OR HOSPITALS ACTUALLY DOBETTER JOBS, LOWERING COSTS,REDUCING RETURN VISITS, THATKIND OF THING, THEY GETINCENTIVIZED FINANCIALLY.THAT IS SMART.SOLEDAD: ARE YOU HOPEFUL THATTHIS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO PASS?SEN. CARPER: NO.SOLEDAREALLY?SE CARPER: NO, I ASOLEDAD: REALLY?SEN. CARPER: I'M HOPEFUL ABOUTALMOST EVERYTHING.SOLEDAD: BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAIDNO, I WAS LIKE, "YEAH, I'M NOTEITHER."I MEAN, LISTEN.LOOK AT HOW IT HAS BEEN GOING.BIPARTISANSHIP IS NOT CONGRESS'WINNING DIRECTION AT THIS MOMENTSEN. CARPER: WE ARE GETTINGALEXANDER AND PATTY MURRAY, AND

Sen. Carper: We Need to Stabilize the Obamacare Exchanges

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Updated: 5:30 PM EDT Nov 3, 2017

On average, 175 people die every day from a drug overdose. According the Centers for Disease Control, two thirds of those deaths are connected to opioid use. To combat this epidemic, the White House pulled together a presidential commission, which released their final report and 56 recommendations this week. Patrick Kennedy, a commission member and former Congressman, manages his own challenges with addiction daily. He says he appreciates the work of the commission, but that it didn’t go far enough. He joins Soledad O’Brien to discuss what the commission accomplished, what’s missing and the funding challenges ahead.